Gösgen nuclear power plant to undergo a four-week maintenance shutdown, replacing 36 fuel elements and performing extensive inspections.

The Gösgen nuclear power plant in Däniken SO will shut down next Saturday for its annual overhaul. This maintenance interruption will last around four weeks.

The plant’s 45th operating cycle, which just concluded, lasted 335 days. During this period, the nuclear power plant produced 8030 million kilowatt hours of electricity, meeting about 13 % of Switzerland’s electricity needs, the operating company announced on Thursday.

As part of the annual overhaul, 36 of the 177 fuel elements will be replaced with fresh uranium. Besides replacing the fuel elements, extensive inspections and maintenance will be carried out on structural, mechanical, electrical, and I&C systems and components.

On Saturday morning, steam will be visible above the non-nuclear part of the plant, and a hissing noise may be heard in the vicinity.

©Keystone/SDA